The PRS A40E is an astonishing acoustic built on all of what PRS have learned since they started making acoustic guitars back in 2011. Using ovangkol back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top this is great all rounder guitar that can cover a wide range of styles.
Tonewoods
The A40E uses a tonewood combination of a solid Sitka spruce with ovangkol back and sides. Ovangkol is a similar tonewood to rosewood but doesn’t come with the sustainability issues and CITES import restrictions. Like rosewood, Ovangkol has a broad dynamic range but with slightly more midrange emphasis. This is complemented by the the Sitka spruce top which has a very balanced and consistent tone. It’s this combination of tonewoods that makes the A40E such a versatile guitar.
To get the most out of these woods PRS have used their own X/Classical bracing pattern on the top. This tweak to the bracing pattern results in more flexibility for the top to resonate which at the end of the day means more volume and a more defined, full tone that gets the best out of the locked down ovangkol back and sides.
All PRS SE acoustics have mahogany necks with ebony fretboards for great stability and resonance.
Angelus Body
The Angelus is PRS’s take on a classic cutaway body shape. It’s a comfortable mid-sized body that isn’t so large that it’s unwieldy to play and not so small that you don’t get a full sound when you want to start strumming. You also get great upper fret access thanks to the cutaway for when you want to hit those high notes. Like the tonewoods, this body shape lends itself to a wide variety of playing styles and genres.
Fishman Pickup
Every guitar in the PRS SE Acoustic range comes fitted with a Fishman GT1 pickup. This sits under the saddle of the guitar and feeds off to controls that sit just under the soundhole for quick and seamless changes while playing.
Bone Nut and Saddle
If you follow Paul Reed Smith at all you know his philosophy for building acoustic guitars. That it is a ‘subtractive’ instrument meaning that everything on the guitar isn’t adding more tone, or sustain, it is just subtracting less.
Anything that touches the string has the ability to subtract more sustain or tone from your guitar so they have made sure that these guitars are fitted with bone saddles and nuts for the best possible sound. You won’t find this on many instruments at this kind of price.
PRS Acoustics
Since 2011 PRS have dedicated a large department to not only creating great acoustic guitars but also innovating what we thought possible with the acoustic guitar. By going back and looking at some of the oldest available acoustic guitars to what the best of the best are making today, they have created a few innovations that make an incredible guitar.
From Private Stock to SE every acoustic they make is made with a purpose, nothing is done just because that is what everyone else does. They have thought through every combination of woods, shape, bracing, electronics to come up with what they feel is the best acoustic they can make at a price a lot of people can afford.
Specifications
Body
- Top Wood: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Middle Wood: Ovangkol
- Back Wood: Ovangkol
- Body Shape: Angelus Cutaway
- Body Depth at Neck Block: 3 19/32”
- Body Depth at Tail Block: 4 3/8”
- Bracing: PRS Hybrid “X”/Classical Bracing
- Body Purfling: Tiger Acrylic
- Body Binding: Cream
- Rosette: Tiger Acrylic, Cream/Black
Neck
- Number of Frets: 20
- Scale Length: 25.3”
- Neck Wood: Mahogany
- Neck Shape: Wide Fat
- String Spacing: 2 7/32”
- Fretboard Wood: Ebony
- Fretboard Inlay: Birds
- Fretboard Radius: 11.81″
- Strength/Truss Rod: Adjustable
- Neck Depth At The Nut: 7/8”
- Width of Fretboard at the Body:2 9/32″
- Width of Fretboard at the Nut: 1 11/16″
- Nut: Bone
Hardware
- Bridge Wood: Ebony
- Tuners: PRS-Designed
- Acoustic Saddle: Bone
- Strings: 12-53
- Included Accessories: PRS Hardshell Case
Electronics
- Acoustic Electronics: Fishman GT1

YAMAHA YUS1 PWH
BOSS ML2 METAL CORE
YAMAHA AC3MARE TBS
RICO BY D'ADDARIO TENOR SAXOPHONE REEDS 1.5 (3 PACK)
DUNLOP 222SI MEDIUM SIZE MEDIUM WALL BRASS SLIDE
DADDARIO WOODWINDS RICO HEMKE SSAX 3
STAGG SCL70 CLASSICAL GUITAR WITH CEDAR TOP NATURAL SATIN
SOUNDCRAFT NOTEPAD 5CH DESKTOP MIXER WITH USB
YAMAHA DZR 315-D
ROLAND PM100 PERSONAL MONITOR
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES PW-P047A PEDAL COUPLER
K&M 10065 MUSIC STAND NICKEL
SHURE BETA91A CONDENSER BOUNDARY MICROPHONE
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES BEATLES 15 PACK PICK TIN STRIPES
ERNIE BALL SUPER STRAP LOCKS GOLD
DUNLOP JOHN PETRUCCI JAZZ III PICK PACK
K&M 17670 GUITAR STAND MEMPHIS PRO
SENNHEISER XSW 1-835
BOSS MD2 MEGA DISTORTION
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES GUITAR PICK 5-PACK MEDIUM
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES 25LB04 BEATLES STRAP
TAYLOR 312CE V-CLASS GRAND CONCERT
TAKAMINE GN20-NS
YAMAHA DZR 315
YAMAHA C40 CLASSICAL GUITAR NATURAL
K&M 17581 ELECTRIC GUITAR STAND BLACK
GÖLDO SPRING FOR HUMBUCKERS 31MM
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES 50CL000 SOUNDHOLE STRAP
DUNLOP PICK
K&M 10050 MUSIC STAND BLACK
MOOER RAGE MACHINE METAL DISTORTION PEDAL
STAGG VBE PB45 TOP BEIGE VELVET
TAYLOR K24CE KOA
SHURE BETA 98AD/C CONDENSER MINIATURE MICROPHONE
STAGG MUSA4BK MUSIC STAND
PRESONUS HP2 BATTERY-POWERED STEREO HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
STAGG FPSL FINGERPICKSET LARGE
GUILD WESTERLY F-1512 12-STRING JUMBO ACOUSTIC GUITAR NATURAL
YAMAHA TRBX305 RED
PRESONUS QUANTUM 2
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES SATRIANI PICK SET BLACK 10-PACK
STAGG FPSM FINGERPICKSET MEDIUM
PRESONUS TUBEPRE V2 MONO TUBE PREAMP (1/3U)
FENDER 500K TONE SAVER
SOUNDCRAFT EPM8 MIXER
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES THUMBPICKS LARGE 5 PACK
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES CHROME SLIDE MEDIUM
DUNLOP AALP04 JAVIER REYES TORTEX JAZZ 3 BLACK XL GUITAR PICKS .73 (6-PACK)
FENDER MULTI STAND 3
SHURE SM7B DYNAMIC STUDIO VOCAL MICROPHONE
DUNLOP 6504 GUITAR TECH CARE KIT
FENDER ESC105 EDUCATIONAL SERIES WN VINTAGE NATURAL
TAKAMINE GD10-NS
YAMAHA DBR10 POWERED SPEAKER
YAMAHA AC1MII VN ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC GUITAR VINTAGE NATURAL
DUNLOP GUITAR POLISH KIT
YAMAHA MG12XUK MIXING CONSOLE
YAMAHA CG 122MC CLASSICAL GUITAR MATTE CEDAR NATURAL
AKG PERCEPTION 820 TUBE
YAMAHA SVC-300C SILENT CELLO
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES STD ACRYLUX RESO 25PACK
TAYLOR 814CE 